Notes

Question 1

A detailed way of describing a parcel of land for documents such as deeds and mortgages that will be accepted in a court of law

Answer 1

Legal description

Question 2

A legal description is based on information collected through ___.

Answer 2

Survey

Question 3

The process by which boundaries are measured by calculating the dimensions and area to determine the exact location of a piece of land

Answer 3

Survey

Question 4

In the context of legal descriptions, ___ means that the surveyor must be able to define the exact boundaries of the property

Answer 4

Locate

Question 5

What are the 3 basic methods used to describe real estate?

Answer 5

1) Metes and Bounds
2) Rectangular (government) survey
3) Lot and block (recorded plat)

Question 6

What is the oldest method of legal description, dating back to the 13 colonies?

Answer 6

Metes and bounds

Question 7

What method of legal description relies on a property’s physical features to determine the boundaries and measurements of the parcel?

Answer 7

Metes and Bounds

Question 8

A metes and bounds description always starts at a designated place on the parcel called the ___.

Answer 8

Point of beginning (POB)

Question 9

A surveyor records a parcel’s boundaries in a metes and bounds description based on what 3 things?

Answer 9

1) Linear measurements
2) Landmarks (monuments)
3) Directions

Question 10

Where does a metes and bounds description end?

Answer 10

Back at the point of beginning

Question 11

___ are fixed objects used to identify the POB, ends of boundary segments, and location of intersecting boundaries

Answer 11

Monuments

Question 12

Monuments are natural and artificial landmarks that identify what 3 things?

Answer 12

1) Point of beginning
2) Ends of boundaries
3) Location of intersecting boundaries

Question 13

In a metes and bounds description, the actual distance between ___ takes precedence over any linear measurements in the description

Answer 13

Monuments

Question 14

A tract of land located in Old Town, Liberty County, VA is described as: Beginning at the intersection of the east line of Jones Road and the south line of Old Road, then east along the south line of Old Road 200 feet, then south 15 degrees east 216.5 feet, more or less, to the center thread of Town Creek; then northwesterly along the center line of said creek to its intersection with the east line of Jones Road; then north 105 feet, more or less, along the east line of Jones Road to the point of beginning. What kind of legal description is this?

Answer 14

Metes and Bounds

Question 15

Metes and bounds descriptions are used when describing which 3 things in Illinois?

Answer 15

1) Irregular tracts
2) portions of a recorded lot
3) Fractions of a section`

Question 16

Who should be consulted for definitive interpretations on any legal descriptions?

Answer 16

Professional surveyors

Question 17

The Public Land Survey System is also called the ___.

Answer 17

Rectangular survey system

Question 18

This was established by Congress in 1785 to standardize the description of land acquired by the newly founded federal government.

Answer 18

Rectangular survey system (Public Land Survey System)

Question 19

The rectangular survey system is based on 2 sets of intersecting lines called ___ and ___.

Answer 19

Principal meridians
Base lines

Question 20

The public land survey system is based on 2 sets of intersecting lines called ___ and ___.

Answer 20

Principal meridians
Base lines

Question 21

Principal meridians run in which 2 directions?

Answer 21

North and South

Question 22

___ are lines running north and south

Answer 22

Principal meridians

Question 23

___ are lines runing east and west

Answer 23

Base lines

Question 24

Base lines run in which 2 directions?

Answer 24

East and west

Question 25

Base lines and principal meridians are located by reference to...

Answer 25

degrees of latitude and longitude

Question 26

Each principal meridian is crossed by a(n) ___.

Answer 26

Base line

Question 27

How many principal meridians are there in the USA?

Answer 27

37

Question 28

Each ___ and its corresponding ___ are used to survey a definite area of land, indicated on the map by boundary lines

Answer 28

Each principal meridian and its corresponding base line

Question 29

In Illinois, locations are described by their relation to one of ___ meridians.

Answer 29

3

Question 30

True or false, all 3 principal meridians used to describe location of property in Illinois are located within the state of IL

Answer 30

False

Question 31

Once made, legal descriptions cannot be ___.

Answer 31

Changed

Question 32

Lines running east and west, parallel to the base line and six miles apart are called ___.

Answer 32

Township lines

Question 33

Township lines are ___ miles apart

Answer 33

6

Question 34

Township lines run in which 2 directions?

Answer 34

East and west

Question 35

Township lines form strips of land called ___.

Answer 35

Township tiers

Question 36

___ are designated by consecutive numbers north or south of the base line

Answer 36

Township tiers

Question 37

___ are designated by consecutive numbers east or west of the principal meridian

Answer 37

Ranges

Question 38

The land on either side of a principal meridian is divided into 6 mile wide strips by lines running north and south, parallel to the meridian. These north-south strips of land are called ___.

Answer 38

Ranges

Question 39

How many miles wide are ranges?

Answer 39

6

Question 40

Ranges run parallel to the ___

Answer 40

meridian

Question 41

Township lines run parallel to the ___

Answer 41

base line

Question 42

Ranges run in which 2 directions?

Answer 42

east and west

Question 43

What are the basic units of the rectangular survey system?

Answer 43

Township squares

Question 44

Township squares are ___ miles square

Answer 44

6

Question 45

township squares contain ___ square miles

Answer 45

36

Question 46

How many acres in a township?

Answer 46

23,040

Question 47

A township's legal description contains which 3 things?

Answer 47

1) designation of the township tier 2) designation of the range strip 3) Name or number of the principal meridian

Question 48

When "Township" is used by itself, it refers only to the ___.

Answer 48

Township squares

Question 49

Each township contains ___ sections

Answer 49

36

Question 50

How many square miles are in each section of a township?

Answer 50

1

Question 51

How many acres are in each section of a township?

Answer 51

640

Question 52

1 square mile = ___ acres

Answer 52

640

Question 53

Half of a section = ___ acres

Answer 53

320

Question 54

1/4 of a section = ___ acres

Answer 54

160

Question 55

Sections are smaller than ___

Answer 55

townships

Question 56

6 miles x 6 miles = 36 sections per ___

Answer 56

township

Question 57

1 mile x 1 mile = ___ square miles

Answer 57

1

Question 58

how many square feet per acre?

Answer 58

43,560

Question 59

How many feet in a mile?

Answer 59

5,280

Question 60

Undersized or oversized sections are called ___

Answer 60

fractional sections

Question 61

Areas smaller than full quarter sections are numbered and designated as ___ by surveyors

Answer 61

government

Question 62

___ lots can be created by the curvature of earth, by land bordering or surrounding large bodies of water, or by artificial state borders

Answer 62

Government

Question 63

To determine the location and size of a property described in the rectangular survey, analyze the legal description ___ to ___

Answer 63

Right to left

Question 64

Analyzing a legal description in the rectangular survey is similar to finding location using...

Answer 64

a mailing address

Question 65

The ___ parcel of land is at the end of a legal description in the rectangular survey

Answer 65

largest

Question 66

The ___ parcel of land is at the beginning of a legal description in the rectangular survey

Answer 66

smallest

Question 67

States using the rectangular survey system may also require a(n) ___ description when describing an irregular tract

Answer 67

metes and bounds

Question 68

States using the rectangular survey system may also require a(n) ___ description when a tract is too small to be described by quarter-sections

Answer 68

metes and bounds

Question 69

States using the rectangular survey system may also require a(n) ___ description when a tract does not follow the lot or block lines of a recorded subdivision or section quarter-section lines, or other fractional section lines

Answer 69

metes and bounds

Question 70

___ descriptions may be included in the rectangular survey system used in IL when describing irregular or small tracts

Answer 70

metes and bounds

Question 71

The ___ system uses lot and block numbers referred to in a plat map filed in the public records of the county where the land is located

Answer 71

lot and block

Question 72

A map of a town, section, or subdivision indicating the location and boundaries of individual properties

Answer 72

Plat map

Question 73

___ is also called a subdivision plat

Answer 73

plat map

Question 74

The ___ system is often used to describe property in subdivisions and urban areas

Answer 74

lot and block

Question 75

In describing a lot from a recorded subdivision plat, which 3 identifiers are used?

Answer 75

1) Lot-and-block number 2) Name or number of the subdivision plat 3) Name of the county and state

Question 76

Lot 71, Happy Valley Estates 2, located in a portion of the southeast quarter of Section 23, Township 7 North, Range 4 East of the Seward Principal Meridian in Pizza County, state of Illinois. This is an example of which description?

Answer 76

Lot and block

Question 77

Anyone attempting to record a document conveying land should consult which 2 people about the requirements involved?

Answer 77

1) Lawyer 2) County recorder

Question 78

In Illinois, under the ___, when an owner divides a parcel of land into 2 or more parts, any of which is less than 5 acres, the parts must be surveyed and a plat of subdivision recorded

Answer 78

Plat Act

Question 79

A licensed ___ is trained and authorized to locate and determine the legal description of any parcel of land

Answer 79

surveyor

Question 80

What 2 documents does a surveyor prepare?

Answer 80

1) survey 2) survey sketch

Question 81

A surveyor prepares a document called the ___ which states the property's legal description

Answer 81

Survey

Question 82

A surveyor prepares a document called the ___ which shows the location and dimensions of the parcel

Answer 82

Survey Sketch

Question 83

A(n) ___ is a survey that also shows the location, size, and shape of buildings on the lot

Answer 83

Spot survey

Question 84

Once recorded, legal descriptions affect ___ to real estate

Answer 84

title

Question 85

Legal descriptions should only be prepared by a(n) ___.

Answer 85

professional surveyor

Question 86

___ are not a full survey, that is prepared in a shorter time frame and at a lower cost, and only provides the location of the structures and improvements as related to property boundaries

Answer 86

improvement location certificate

Question 87

___ are measured to determine the legal descriptions of air rights and condominium apartments

Answer 87

Elevations

Question 88

___ are composed of the airspace within specific boundaries located over a parcel of land

Answer 88

Air lots

Question 89

Owners may subdivide the air above their land into ___.

Answer 89

air lots

Question 90

Condominiums are usually ___.

Answer 90

air lots

Question 91

Air rights are measured ___ the datum

Answer 91

above

Question 92

Subsurface rights are measured ___ the datum

Answer 92

below

Question 93

Air rights are measured above the ___

Answer 93

datum

Question 94

Subsurface rights are measured below the ___

Answer 94

datum

Question 95

A point, line, or surface from which elevations are measured or indicated

Answer 95

Datum

Question 96

A surveyor uses a(n) ___ in determining the height of a structure or establishing the grade of a street

Answer 96

datum

Question 97

The general datum used by IL surveyors is the ___

Answer 97

North American Vertical Datum of 1988

Question 98

The datum for Chicago is called the ___

Answer 98

Chicago City Datum

Question 99

___ are permanent reference points that have been established throughout the USA

Answer 99

Benchmarks

Question 100

___ are usually embossed brass markers set into solid concrete or asphalt bases

Answer 100

Benchmarks

Question 101

The purpose of benchmarks is to mark ___

Answer 101

datums

Question 102

___ have the purpose of marking datums

Answer 102

Benchmarks